2022 in African music

See also: Timeline of musical events

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2022 in African music.

Events

• April 3 – Angélique Kidjo wins the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album for the second time, with her 2021 album Mother Nature. ^[1]
• May 9 – CKay's "Love Nwantiti" becomes the first-ever African song to surpass one billion streams on Spotify. ^[2]
• May 17 – Interviewed on Asaase Radio, Stonebwoy responds to criticism of himself and other African artists such as Black Sherif for attending a party hosted by Kendrick Lamar in Ghana. ^[3]
• July 17 – The 18th series of Idols South Africa is launched, with new judges Thembi Seete and JR. ^[4]
• August 6 – At a political rally in support of Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, Tanzanian musician Diamond Platnumz endorses Odinga as presidential candidate. ^[5]
• September 4 – The 15th edition of Nigerian music awards The Headies is held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ^[6]
• September 22 – Morocco's Tanjazz Festival is held after a two-year gap caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[7]
• October 31 – The drowning of Davido's 3-year-old son, in a swimming pool at their Banana Island house, ^[8] leads to a police investigation. ^[9]

Albums released in 2022

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 28	Nomfundo Moh	Amagama	Afro-pop	Universal	[10]
March 25	Rema	Rave & Roses	Afrorave	Jonzing World/Mavin Records	[11]
May 13, 2022	Obongjayar	Some Nights I Dream of Doors	Afrobeat	September Recordings	[12]
May 20, 2020	Gigi Lamayne	Set in Stone	Hip hop		[13]
May 27	Nduduzo Makhathini	In The Spirit Of Ntu	Jazz	Blue Note Africa	[11]
July 8	Burna Boy	Love, Damini	Afro-fusion	Atlantic Records	[14]
October 25	Amerado	G.I.N.A	Reggae, Afropop	MicBurnerz Music	[15]
November 2	Seyi Vibez	Billion Dollar Baby	Afrobeats	Vibez Inc / Dvpper Music	[16]
November 11	Gordon Koang	Community		Music in Exile	[17]

Musical films

• Neptune Frost , starring Elvis Ngabo, Cheryl Isheja and Kaya Free, with music by Saul Williams ^[18]

Deaths

• February 15 – Vivi l'internationale, 75–76, Beninese singer ^[19]
• February 23 – Riky Rick, 34, South African rapper (suicide) ^[20]
• March 28 (death announced on this date) – Mira Calix, 51/52, South African electronic musician and producer ^[21]
• April 8 – Osinachi Nwachukwu, 42, Nigerian gospel singer (cause undisclosed) ^[22]
• April 14 – Orlando Julius, 79, Nigerian Afrobeat saxophonist, singer, bandleader, and songwriter ^[23]
• May 15 – Deborah Fraser, 55, South African gospel singer (stroke) ^[24]
• June 11 – Amb Osayomore Joseph, 69, Nigerian highlife pioneer ^[25]
• June 12 – Dawit Nega, 34, Ethiopian singer ^[26]
• June 21 – Pierre Narcisse, 45, Cameroonian singer ^[27]
• August 15 – Tokollo Tshabalala, 45, South African Kwaito musician ^[28]
• August 18 – Hadrawi, 79, Somali poet and songwriter ^[29]
• September 12 – Dennis East, 73, South African singer, songwriter and producer ^[30]
• November 6 – Ali Birra, 72, Ethiopian singer ^[31]
• November 25 – Sammie Okposo, 51, Nigerian gospel singer ^[32]
• December 5 – Hamsou Garba, 63, Nigerien singer ^[33]
• December 10
  • Tshala Muana, 64, Congolese singer, "Queen of Mutuashi" ^[34]
  • Aziouz Raïs, 68, Algerian chaabi singer. ^[35]
• December 12 – Ekambi Brillant, 74, Cameroonian makossa singer ^[36]

See also

• 2022 in music

References

1. "Angelique Kidjo Beats Wizkid to Win Grammy Best World Music Album 2022". Mandy News.
2. Shaw, Lucas. "A Nigerian Singer Released the Biggest Hit in African History". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
3. "Stonebwoy displeased with reactions to meeting with Kendrick Lamar". myjoyonline. May 17, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
4. Mphande, Joy (16 February 2022). "Thembi Seete and JR join Somizi as 'Idols SA season 18' judges". TimesLIVE . Retrieved 16 February 2022.
5. "Diamond tells Raila Odinga: You are the next President". The Citizen. 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
6. Abiola, Fasanmi (2022-05-24). "Headies 2022: Full list of nominees - The Nation Newspaper". The Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
7. "Tanjazz festival to return in September, following two year hiatus". Hespress. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
8. Deborah Ejemeka (October 31, 2022). "Davido's son Ifeanyi drowns in Lagos swimming pool". Peoples Gazette. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
9. "Davido son death: Police say they invite eight domestic workers over Davido son death". BBC.com. November 2022. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
10. De Wee, Naledi (2022-01-28). "New Music Friday: Nomfundo Moh makes her soulful debut [listen]". The South African. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
11. "Top African Music albums of 2022". RYM. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
12. Corcoran, Nina (February 3, 2022). "Obongjayar Announces Debut Album Some Nights I Dream of Doors, Shares New Song "Try"". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
13. "Gigi Lamayne drops long-awaited album 'Set in Stone' | Hype Magazine". Hype Magazine. 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
14. "Burna Boy Pushes Afro-Fusion Pop Into the Future With Love, Damini". Variety. July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
15. "Amerado's G.I.N.A album makes a case for Afrorap". Morebranches. October 26, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
16. "TurnTable Charts | Official Top 50 Albums". www.turntablecharts.com. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
17. "Gordon Koang Announces New Album Community and Shares Lead Single". Music Feeds . 21 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
18. Tambay Obenson (July 17, 2021). "'Neptune Frost': Saul Williams Confronts Status Quo with East African Cyber Musical". IndieWire.
19. Ribouis, Olivier (16 February 2022). "Vivi l'Internationale est décédée". Banouto (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2022.
20. "Shock as Riky Rick takes his own life". Sunday World. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
21. "Mira Calix Has Died". Clash Magazine. 28 March 2022.
22. Nseyen, Nsikak (10 April 2022). "Osinachi: Family reveals cause of death of Ekwueme singer, husband's whereabouts". Daily Post . Retrieved 11 April 2022.
23. "Veteran Saxophonist, Orlando Julius dies at 79". Premium Times. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
24. Bambalele, Patience (2022-05-15). "Award-winning gospel singer Deborah Fraser dies". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
25. "Osayomore Joseph, One Of Nigeria's Music Legends Is Dead". independent.ng. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
26. "Popular Tigrigna singer Dawit Nega has died". 12 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
27. Юртова, Кристина. "Умер Пьер Нарцисс | StarHit.ru". www.starhit.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-09-07.
28. Mduduzi Nonyane (15 August 2022). "Legendary Kwaito musician and TKZee member Tokollo 'Magesh' dies". City Press.
29. "Great Somali poet Hadrawi passed away in Hargeisa". Somali Times. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
30. "Music legend Dennis East has died". Jacaranda FM. September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
31. "Legendary Ethiopian Artist Ali Birra Passed Away". 6 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
32. Ella, Chioma (November 25, 2022). "Gospel Singer, Sammie Okposo reportedly dies at 51". Kemifilani.
33. "Décès de Hamsou Garba, une des figures de la culture nigérienne". Agence Nigerien de Presse (in French). 5 December 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
34. Redaction, Mbote (December 10, 2022). "Décès de la chanteuse Tshala Muana". Mbote. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
35. L., Farid (11 December 2022). "Culture – Algérie : décès du chanteur de chaabi, Aziouz Raïs". Algérie 360 (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
36. "Nécrologie: décès du musicien Ekambi Brillant". Actu Cameroun. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.